Confessor's Clearing
by KahlanRahl
Summary: Kahlan tells Richard what exactly a confessor is and how their power works... Richard waits in horror. T for later content. I don't own the character or the world i own the story line and what my characters do.
1. Chapter 1

Zed was off trying to track something good to eat for dinner while Richard and Kahlan were setting up camp and gathering wood for their fire that night. Kahlan had just finished setting up the wood the way Richard had shown her the first night they were in the forest and was now getting out the pot for their dinner, provided Zed brought something back this time. Richard was working on a temporary shelter, they had found a nice clearing that had not been used in a while so they decided to spend a few days this time and try to catch up on sleep.

"Richard?" Kahlan called to get his attention. "Hmm?" he answered to show he was listening. "I have something to tell you. It may change the way you feel about me but after the last few days… well I think you need to know now is all." He stopped to look at her. She buckled under the gazed of his wonderful eyes, now with their full attention on her. "If you tell me there is someone else in your life Kahlan, well I may just collapse right here." She gave a weak smile, "No Richard there is no one else," he grinned "but you may want to sit as this might be just as bad." He stopped smiling and sat looking up at her as she walked over and sat next to him, the tears forming in her eyes but not quite falling yet.

Her voice cracked as she started "I know you have heard people call me confessor and you have seen me use my power but there is more to it, a lot more. The day we met, before I knew you were the seeker and you helped me fight Darken Rhals men, well almost from the moment you picked up that stick to help I wanted to be a normal person, I wanted to be just some woman you were helping, saving. I knew I would do anything to protect you, even if I was protecting you from myself." Richard was staring very hard into her eyes trying to read what she wasn't telling him. "What do you mean even from yourself?" Kahlan shook her head, "just please let me finish before I can't. later that day when I saw you with Zed and found out that you were the seeker, you were the one I was looking for the reason my sister died to help me get here the reason I had come to Westland, I fell in love with you," Richard puffed up, smiled and started to say something but Kahlan cut him off, "It made me so sad because I knew I could never have you, never be with the man I loved. A confessors' life is a very lonely one. Let me ask you something Richard what do you know about my power as a confessor, about what it is that I can do? What have you learned by watching me use it the few time I have had to?" She looked at him, a steady stream of tears were running down her face now.

Richard thought about the times he had seen her use her gift, "well they all do whatever you ask them to they seem almost mindless I guess, but I can't really last long can it I mean even Zeds spells have a duration before they run out. It goes away right?" Kahlan shook her head again "no Richard it doesn't wear off. What I do it last as long as the person is alive. My power is ever present even now talking to you it is coursing through my body. I can feel it every moment of my waking hours. I have to be in control of it always or it could affect anyone I touch.

"I am also not just any confessor, Richard, I have a title among the people of the midlands I am known as mother confessor. I am head of the confessor order. When a confessor, any normal confessor uses their power it can take them anywhere from a few days to a week to regain their control of the energy, some of the stronger ones can use it again in a day. To be mother confessor you must be the strongest in the order, I can use my power again in a little more than two hours after I use it." She watched him take this all in. "As for what my power does, I can control a persons' love or more specifically I take away all their other emotions and leave them with only their love for me. They are stripped of their soul and are little more than slaves. Because of their love for me I can make them do anything I wish. If I wanted to I could tell them to die and they would fall over dead, because to them the idea of disappointing me is worse not living. If I were to ever lose control while touching you… If we were to ever be together you would become my slave and I could never live with that. I couldn't live knowing that I had done that to the only man I do and ever will love."

She brought her knees to chest and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to be as small as she felt, and cried. Richard watched her for a while. In an attempt to comfort her he reached for her but at his touch she shrank away again. He put his arms on his knees and just watched her not sure if he could talk at all. "Don't I get a choice in this?" he managed to say thought it was little more than a whisper, barely audible. She looked up at him, at Richard, her Richard. "What?" she choked out. "Me, Don't I get to say how I feel?"


	2. Chapter 2

She looked up at him, Richard, her Richard. "What?" "Me don't I get to say how I feel? I mean here you are telling me all these things you can do and how you feel but you wouldn't let me say anything. Kahlan I don't need you touch me with your gift to get me to want to do what you want me to. I love you, I have loved you since that night at Zedd's. I love you more than my own life and would do anything for you. If YOU hadn't asked me I would probably still be in Heartland. I am chasing a killer because you asked me to not because I am the seeker. Being the seeker only gives me the strength and courage to do it but not the need". She looked so scared at his words and was so confused that she started to move away wondering if she had already touched him.

"Kahlan without you I am just Richard Cypher woods guide and that's it. You made me the seeker and if you leave or I lose you I will just be a woods guide again. I would go to the ends of the world and beyond if you asked me. If I am going to be under you control for doing it at least I will have known what it feels like before that happens. I will at least have those few second to enjoy and love you as myself". Before she could get any farther he grabbed her hand and pulled her into him, kissing her with all his passion, his love.

He loved everything about her inside and out, physically, emotionally and spiritually and he could see she loved him the same way. She half-heartedly tried to pull away once but he held her to him. She could feel her power rising beyond her control and soon the barrier was breached, as if a bolt of lightning hit him in the chest, he was flung back. Kahlan collapsed to the ground drained and in tears. She tried to warn him but he didn't listen and now it was too late.

She felt his hand on her back helping her up. "Kahlan, KAHLAN, Are you hurt? What was that my lips are still tingle?" She couldn't bear to look at him knowing all too well her Richard was gone, knew that those eyes, Richard wonderful eyes, would a dark empty hollow. "Kahlan look at me answer me please. I'm sorry I shouldn't have done that but I couldn't help it". She knew he wouldn't stop till she looked at him and told him she was fine so she turned face him. Something in his face looked odd, it must be how he is reacting to my touch, she thought. "I'm fine, please Richard just leave me for now. I will be fine." She knew he would at least leave her alone for a little while her word was now his life. She looked away again not knowing if he had moved away or not.

"No" he said "I need you to look at me and tell me your ok. Look into my eyes and let me know". She looked at him in shock for the second time that evening. "What did you say to me?" he sighed and sat down next to her. "Kahlan, I said, no I will not leave until you tell me your ok. I'm sorry I kissed you that way it was wrong of me but given the chance I would do it again in a heartbeat I will never forget that kiss no matter how long I live. Your gift doesn't bother me and I love you just as much as before maybe even a little more. Now please tell me you're ok so I can finish setting up the camp before Zedd gets back, if we aren't done he will roast us alive…"


	3. Chapter 3

Confessors Clearing~ Chapter 3

Now please tell me you're ok so I can finish setting up the camp before Zedd gets back, if we aren't done he will roast us alive. This shelter is barely started and…" She leaped up and kissed him. Without thought one of his arms was around her waist pulling her close, the other was on the back of her head to stop her from moving. They were both in bliss. Everything about this moment told both never to let go and while Richard wanted to listen he knew Zedd would be back soon. Pulling away, "Kahlan, we need to set up camp." He said between kisses. Kahlan, weaker now from more than the release of her power she finally found her strength and took a step back to let Richard know she understood. Richard went about his task and Kahlan decided to go to the nearby lake for a bath and to think about some things. Richard watched as she walked off in the direction of the lake and smiled at the thoughts in his mind.

Zedd came back about five minutes later and started barking orders about the camp and their upcoming mission. After a while Richard said he needed to take a walk and clear his head, leaving Zedd to make dinner. He headed the opposite direction of the lake till he knew Zedd was out of eyesight, even for that old wizard, and then doubled back to the find Kahlan. With all the skill he had learned as a woods guide he sneaked his way to the lake. Once in sight of the lake he couldn't see her so he moved a little closer, as soon as he was past the underbrush she came up from rinsing her hair. In moments he was stumbling over invisible logs and made more noise than intended. Startled by the noise, she sunk down into the water and looked to find the source. Scanning the tree line her eyes came to rest on Richard.

"Would you like to join me the water is amazing right now and I think you would really like it." She stood up a little so the water was just above her breasts, teasing him the whole time she gave him the smile reserved for only him and kicked back shooting her to the middle of the lake. Almost falling down the short bank Richard pulled and yanked at his clothes trying to get them off before hitting the water, and to his surprise managed to get them all off by the time he dove into the cold shallow water. Taking a little more time to get to the center then she did he circled her without so much as a toe touching her. "Your right this is wonderful just the right temperature." Watching her he could see she wanted him to hold her, and while earlier he would have done anything to not let her go right now he was afraid that if he got to close, if he touched her, she would disappear and the whole thing would be nothing more than a dream. "Alright confessor you got me all the way out here, is this where your plan ends?" While he was afraid to wake up from this moment she was not even timid about the events taking place. If he wasn't going to initiate anything this time then she would and with that thought she grab him by the shoulders pulled him under the water and kissed him with more passion then she thought was possible, he returned the kiss with just as much passion. His fears now gone he pulled her close and for one moment wished they were fish so they could stay under forever. Releasing each other just enough to return to the surface they again embraced. Richard dream was to be with Kahlan, and Kahlan's dream was to be able to simple touch someone without fear, to be able to touch the one man she has ever loved made her more than blissful. They spent awhile exploring their new found love and realized that both their dreams had come true. After some time they realize how much time had passed and hurried to get back to camp. Walking hand-in-hand, they were to happy not even Zedd's complaining about their lateness could bother them.

~~~THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. I'M SORRY THIS CHAPTER TOOK SO LONG AND I REGRET TO SAY IT IS THE END OF THIS STORY. I MAY ADD A LITTLE MORE BUT I WONT BE ANYTIME SOON. AGAIN THANK YOU ALL!!!!~~~


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